Are we all heading back to the office?

Welcome to another Flexible Success newsletter. Each edition includes a thought, a quote, a question and an interesting read - all related to flexible work. It's designed to be quick and easy to digest, and to provide you with some food for thought for the week ahead.

A THOUGHT

If you've been following the news, you might be wondering if the days of remote and hybrid work are coming to an end. Are we all about to be called back to the office full-time?

Take, for example, the recent decision by NSW Premier Chris Minns. He announced that all public servants in the state will return to the office as their primary place of work. And just last week, Chris Ellison, the Managing Director of Mineral Resources, said: "I want to hold them captive all day long. I don’t want them leaving the building … I don’t want them walking down the road for a cup of coffee." Wow.

The NSW Government decision is undoubtedly significant, and we may see it influence other industries. It is also curiously at odds with the government's own data and recommendations on the innovation, productivity and societal benefits of hybrid working.

But here's the thing: there is not a return to office tidal wave about to swallow us all. Yes, there are figures like Chris Ellison and Elon Musk who make headlines, but they don’t represent the majority. These stories just get a lot of attention because they're dramatic and draw clicks.

In reality, many organisations are sticking with hybrid working and are continuing to explore how to make it work well. They know it’s not only what employees prefer, but it also leads to better productivity and stronger business results.

Remote work expert Nick Bloom predicted last year that work-from-home trends would look like the Nike "swoosh"—a dip at first, followed by a steady rise again. A recent Forbes article suggested we’re already seeing this play out.

I believe the future of hybrid work is bright.

Let's hope the NSW Government gets back on board at some point.

A QUOTE

“The results are clear: Hybrid work is a win-win-win for employee productivity, performance, and retention.” – Nicholas Bloom, Stanford economist

A QUESTION

If you work in a hybrid environment, what could you do to help ensure its ongoing success?

AN INTERESTING READ

The elimination of choice: Are back-to-office mandates inevitable?

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